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Last year was a banner year for trucking companies with there
being a full-blown freight boom. Unfortunately, this year hasn’t been nearly as
prosperous. In fact, with an increased availability of semi-trucks and a decreasing
demand, overall earnings are dropping just before what’s considered the peak
shipping season.

As it turns out, a lot of carriers transformed 2018 profits
as well as the gains from the 2017 cut into never-before-seen orders for new
equipment. This, of course, produced a bigger supply of trucks at the same time
cargo volumes across the country have dipped.

Unpredictable weather, slow industrial growth and international
trade issues have added to the sluggish business, according to freight executives.
Furthermore, companies that yanked imports forward at the tail end of last year
to deal with possible tariffs are now working through the surplus inventory
that’s stacked in warehouses. Plus, cool temperatures hurt spring shipments of
produce, beverages and patio furniture.

“We’re three months into a freight recession,” said Jack Atkins, a transport analyst with Stephens Inc.

This state-of-affairs is dramatically different than last
year when bulging freight volumes and limited truck capacity forced retailers
and manufacturers to scramble to lock in transportation. A few of these
companies blamed skyrocketing shipping costs as the reason for the paltry
earnings as carriers got double digit rate increases.

As is stands, shippers now have the upper hand. This shows
itself most significantly in the current spot market. When companies now book
last-minute transportation, the prices are more unstable than the contract
rates truckers usually negotiate with customers. For example, the typical spot
market price to employ a big rig was off 18.5% in June as opposed to the same
month a year ago.

Loadsmart, a digital freight brokerage firm, made it public that it will collaborate with Oracle Logistics Cloud customers. In doing so it will offer instantly bookable truckload rates and ensure capacity from its group of carriers within the Oracle Management Cloud.

Now
Fortune 500 customers like Kraft-Heinz and Coca-Cola will now be able to
leverage Loadsmart’s powerful routing guide technology within the OTM cloud.
This technology injects immediately bookable of-the-moment rates alongside
static prices in their routing guide.

Currently
headquartered in New York, Loadsmart activates artificial intelligence
technology to automate the booking system. This provides instantaneous prices
for shippers and locks in capacity on all U.S. lanes. Therefore, shippers are
given the ability to either book manually or integrate via an API so as to
automate the process entirely.

With
Loadsmart’s integration with the OTM cloud, shippers immediately are alerted
with a real-time rate as soon as the primary carrier says ‘no.’ Instead of
relying only on static secondary rates which are typically never updated, the
Oracle routing guide chooses the Loadsmart real-time market rate when it’s
better than the next best routing guide choice.

Consequently,
shipment schedulers will always have an actionable price for a truckload for
every single load. This way they can smart market-based decisions.
Additionally, because you can book rates instantly and tender acceptance is
pre-approved, loads can be covered in a swifter fashion which eliminates the
need to visit the spot market.

This
announcement arrives s other transportation management vendors are partnering
up with digital brokerages. A good example of this is the recent pairing of
Uber Freight with SAP Logistics Business Network. These new pairings emphasize
the new ways shippers are taking advantage of digital platforms to make their
operations more muscular.

There are many perks to being a truck driver. However, there are just as many hazards as well. Whether you’re a veteran truck driver or you’re just starting out, you should be aware of the dangers of truck driving. Fortunately, just knowing some basic yet important facts about staying safe on the job can have a big impact on your personal safety on and off the road. Keep on reading to learn more about what you need to know in order to stay safe in and around trucks.

Safety Tips While Driving

One of the most common causes of accident and other incidents on the road is distracted driving. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, or FMCSA, these count as factors in distracted driving:

Texting or taking phone calls

Looking at a physical map

Eating

Changing CD’s in your car’s audio system

Therefore, it really is in your best interest to not drive while distracted. Do your best to plan everything out before you get on the road. Make phone calls, communicate with your dispatch, and plan your route before you get behind the wheel.

Safety Tips While Stopped

It’s just as important to stay safe while stopped at rest stops or loading areas than on the road. Always give a very wide berth when walking behind and between vehicles to prevent accidents. Never climb on top of a load to secure it; you could fall. Furthermore, always make sure to wear gloves and safety glasses while loading and unloading products.

It’s also important to inspect your truck before every shift. So, make sure to notice if any parts seem damaged or worn beyond reasonable repair. It’s better to take the time to replace these parts rather than have them be the cause of an accident or malfunction.

Chatfield trucking company owner, Bill Funk, is doing what
he can to aid the state of Nebraska in confronting the flooding that has
plagued the area this spring. After a brutal winter of record snowfall, the
spring thaw came way too fast. Consequently, whole state is dealing with
constant flooding.

The flooding has been particularly damaging to farmers and
ranchers. The flooding has wiped out grazing lands as well as separated cattle
herds. In fact, some of the ranchers can only located a dozen or more of their
herd. Sadly, they are finding many of them dead. The flooding has also knocked
down fences causing even more headaches for ranchers and farmers.

Funk is now packing up a truck full with fencing materials
like barbed wire, posts, electrical wire, and he’s also added water. Funk was
going to help out in the initial weeks of the flooding but ultimately could
not. He speculates that the supplies he’s packing to help with the damaged
farms and ranches totals well over $15,000.

In particular, Funk is going to deliver the relief materials
to Shulyer, Nebraska at the end of the month. This town is 35 miles west of
Fremont. According to Funk, there’s an old city warehouse that they’re letting
the churches use to gather all the donated materials. Funk maintains that the
actual devastation is much more severe than what national news coverage is
showing. He points to the fact that Nebraskans have shown him footage of trees
with dead cattle in them.

Ultimately, for Funk, lending his hand to the effort isn’t
just a nice gesture, it’s the only right thing to do. He isn’t the only one as
the entire state has rallied to help each other during this difficult time.

After the disastrous Heartland Flood, many volunteers and donators are stepping up to the plate.

People are donating good and helping to deliver flood aid to people of the area in a variety of different ways. For example, more and more aid and supplies are arriving to the area, with the help of trucking companies.

In fact, one man working with a trucking company from Tennessee drove a large load of supplies in from Georgia. The man, Bubba Smith, brought the supplies from a nonprofit organization.

Apparently, this nonprofit organization has also donated health supplies to many countries throughout the world. Now, they’ve donated to the flood victims in Nebraska.

Smith talked
about the delivery as something special and one that he was happy to be part of.
Although he has been driving trucks for thirteen years, he said he never delivered
aid for a flood before. And now, he got the chance to do just that. The goal is
to get fifteen pallets of the donated health supplies to everyone in need. And,
his efforts are not taken for granted.

The health supplies delivered consisted of many different items, such as gloves, health kits, respirators, and more. The University of Nebraska Medial Center officials are very appreciative of the incoming flood aid which helps many people to get back on their feet.

Now, in particular, they are looking for donations in the form of shovels. Anything that anyone can donate is appreciated and helpful, however. If you are looking to donate goods to the victims of the Heartland Flood, you can do so! Near Saddle Creek and Jones, you can donate from 10am to 4pm.

You know it’s been a long, brutal winter when the public works departments in your city start rationing road salt. There’s a joke in there somewhere. Unfortunately, this is actually happening in Omaha.

Believe it
or not, Omaha is getting stingy with their road salt until additional shipments
arrive. After a series of heavy snowstorms blasted the city, reserves are low.

Traditionally, Omaha gets its salt from mines in Hutchinson, Kansas. However, because it and surrounding cities are also enduring a hard winter, they’re using extra salt. Bottom line, it’s a logistical nightmare and the mineral can only be shipped so fast.

According to
Austin Rowser, Omaha’s street maintenance engineer, “it’s all contingent on
trucking.”

Rowser points out that in a normal winter Omaha uses 30,000 tons of salt. Unfortunately, this season road crews have already dispersed an amount exceeding 50,000 tons. That’s a lot of salt on Omaha streets.

As of
Friday, the city still had about 5,000 tons of salt which Rowser emphasized was
just an okay amount. For the year, Omaha had earmarked roughly $1.5 million for
salt.

PapillionCity spokesperson, Trent Albers, indicated that the city has enough salt left to handle around three more storms. Currently, they are waiting for a shipment of 650 tons. Albers stressed that the shipments haven’t been coming quickly.

Cities Are Improvising

In order to
preserve its salt reserves, Papillion is using a combination of gravel and salt
and a de-icing chemical. Yep, things have gotten that bad.

Joe Soucie,
La Vista’s Public Works Director, says they’ve got enough salt on hand for two
or more garden-variety snowstorms. Though nothing about this winter has been
typical. The city is expecting a shipment of salt in the next week.

Soucie remarked that in the past his city has borrowed salt from nearby communities. Right now things aren’t that desperate. Even still, nobody wants another round of blizzards.

Unfortunately, winter isn’t going quietly in that good night. Snow is expected on Saturday afternoon. Plus, March is supposed to remain colder than normal through the opening weeks of March.

It’s that time of year again! Winter. Which brings all of its glory… snowy, icy, and slushy roads for drivers in Nebraska and the surrounding area. And, as a result? More accidents can occur.

In fact, a lot of drivers are unaware of how to properly drive in the rough conditions, especially around semi-trucks. The drivers of these semi-trucks usually face a wide range of weather conditions. And the most experienced drivers have seen it all when it comes to weather, and other drivers on the roads… especially winter roads.

But, auto drivers should be aware of semi-trucks on the road in the winter – and try to accommodate accordingly. While it can be more nerve-wracking to drive alongside semi-trucks in winter conditions, it is important to remember some helpful tips.

Safety Tips

For example, increasing your following distance, so you have time to stop if necessary. It is also important to be careful when passing. As
one truck driver from Utah, Sabrina Bradley, recently commented, courtesy is the
most important thing, especially on highways. Many drivers get anxious and eager
to pass semi-trucks. She discussed a situation that occurred when several drivers
were trying to pass by her, but they were passing on the unplowed shoulder.

She
also pointed out how, if someone is pulled over on the shoulder, it is hard for
other drivers to know, especially when it is still snowing. As Bradley stated: “If
snow’s falling and you’re pulled over like that, we can’t see you. We don’t
know to move over and get out of your way.”

Essentially, she feels that truckers have a high responsibility on snowy roads. She also said: “We’re responsible for driving for everyone out here. We have to drive for everyone else on the road because they don’t know how to react to us.”

So, watch out for the semi-trucks out there for the remainder of the winter… and stay safe!

A New Friend on the Road

A lonely trucker, who loves his job, has recently invited a furry friend to join his lifestyle. A stray cat has joined Paul Robertson on his trucking adventures, and pair could not be happier! Percy and Paul are inseparable.

Paul is a truck driver, as well as an animal lover. Although he loves what he does, the job can sometimes get rather lonely. More often than not, truckers can have trouble maintaining mental health. It’s these furry driving companions that keep truckers, like Paul, happy. Unfortunately, earlier in his career, Paul had a cat named Howie but he passed away at the beginning of 2017. This man was heartbroken.

But recently, Paul has decided to give love another chance. Paul picked Percy up at a nearby animal shelter. Sadly, the ginger cat was once a stray on the streets, so he has a few injuries and scars. Also, he’s missing one of his canine teeth! But this doesn’t stop Percy from being a sweet companion for Robertson.

Luckily for both Paul and Percy, the cat adapted to the trucking lifestyle very quickly and he’s perfectly okay with long trips! They’re trucking companions, as well as a family.

Paul and Percy’s dynamic duo is inspirational for those looking for companionship in their life! This heart-warming story is a good reminder for those looking for companions to not rule out shelter pets! If you want to see a video of one of Percy and Paul’s uplifting adventures, you can check out his Facebook!

Looking for a way to help make the season brighter for kids living in poverty? The Open Door Mission in Omaha desperately needs donations for their Project Santa holiday program. The program helps over 6,000 children.

This year, CEO Candace Gregory tells News Radio 1110 KFAB, Project Santa has expanded. The organization has enhanced its gift giving process for the first time. Parents can now choose the gifts for their kids. Gregory says seeing families so grateful for the opportunity to choose a gift has been an “amazing experience.” Being able to choose gifts empowers parents with “respect and dignity.”

Gregory is still looking for between 600-900 items to fill the need for gifts this year. Project Santa participation is larger, making the toy shortfall bigger than last year. Gregory says children living in poverty often “take on adult responsibility at a young age.” Open Door Mission’s goal is to “bring joy to the poor while empowering families to remain in their own homes and prevent homelessness.”

The mission has an immediate need. Just one week remains before final gift distribution. And without the mission’s gifts, many of the children will have nothing to open on Christmas Day. There is especially a shortfall of appropriate gifts for young and teenage boys. For them, the mission is looking for watches, wallets, and ear pods.

Other needed items include:

LEGO (small sets)

Action Figures

Play Doh

Balls

Hot Wheels

Bookbags

Alarm clocks

The mission also needs over 100 volunteers on site daily to sort, stock, and be personal shoppers for gifts.

Thanksgiving revolves around giving thanks among family and friends, eating pumpkin pie, and drinking delicious wines. Almost forgot about Turkey! However, Thanksgiving dinner isn’t just about Turkey.

Well, if you are making the shopping list for your Thanksgiving dinner, no doubt it includes the wine. You will probably need some recommendations on which one to choose. We are here to help you to make good wine choices.

Wine experts take wine pairing with food options very seriously. Perfect wine will evoke familial, celebratory feeling of togetherness. Thanksgiving is about family warmth and unitedness.

Devon Broglie, Whole Foods Market Sommelier believes there are tons of pairing options since Thanksgiving table is full of many flavors.

An ever-popular guest at Thanksgiving gatherings is the first harvest wine from France’s Beaujolais region. This is a relatively young wine that’s on shelves six-to-eight weeks after harvest.

The specific thing about this wine is that it is allowed to be sold the same year it was harvested, upon AOC regulations.

This light-bodied, juicy wine is so synonymous with the holiday. Even the release date is the same as holidays’ (the third Thursday of November).

This perfect wine is just one option for your Thanksgiving dinner. But there are more people around your table. When you are hosting people at your place, you want to make sure everybody gets enough attention.

To keep your guests entertained, you make efforts to feed them well and offer a wide range of good wines.

There is so much joy and fun in serving your guests with the wine they like or, the one they have never tried. This does not mean skipping so well-liked, delicious wines, but being open to starting a new tradition amongst traditions.

As a great alternative, serve your guests with Pinot Noir. This wine is an ideal companion for your Thanksgiving dinner, for only $18.99. For another wine option offered by Pinot Noir Meiomi you will pay little for, up to $ 22.99.

The choice is yours.

Get your perfect wine selection for Thanksgiving, but don’t get overboard with drinking.

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